Golf bag head piece

ABSTRACT

A golf bag includes an elongate substantially cylindrical bag and a head portion, the head portion having a web at the opening of the golf bag. The web comprises a divider for clubs having four radial separator ribs that establish four quadrants within which to insert golf clubs. In addition, the web includes a central circular rib joined at the intersection where the four radial separator ribs meet to provide a central aperture for the storage of a putter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The following invention relates to a golf bag head piece and more particularly to a golf bag head for sorting clubs efficiently so that the insertion and retrieval of golf clubs is accomplished easily and smoothly.

[0002] All golf bags have head pieces that contain partitions for the separation of golf clubs within the bag. There are several designs for such head pieces. In some there is a separate sleeve for each club. While in theory this seems an ideal design, in practice it is cumbersome to use. It takes time to replace clubs in their assigned slot. The woods which are usually placed in the taller section or top of the bag, and which are longer clubs also tend to obscure open slots in the other parts of the bag.

[0003] In others, there are three crosspieces at the head of the bag that allow the clubs to be separated into three separate zones. For example in the upper zone the golfer frequently places woods, the middle zone contains mid irons such as 3-iron through 6-iron, and the lower zone contains short irons and wedges. The putter can be placed anywhere, but since it is the shortest club it frequently ends up lost or buried among the longer clubs. Golf bag head pieces make no special provision for the putter. In addition, the three zones created by the crosspieces do not separate the clubs efficiently and users find that clubs tend to jam in the bag.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A golf bag includes an elongate substantially cylindrical bag and a head portion, the head portion having a web at the opening of the golf bag. The web comprises a divider for clubs having four radial separator ribs that establish four quadrants within which to insert golf clubs. In addition, the web includes a central circular rib joined at the intersection where the four radial separator ribs meet to provide a central aperture for the storage of a putter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag employing the present invention.

[0006]FIG. 2 is a top view of the golf bag of FIG. 1.

[0007]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a golf bag head piece employing the invention.

[0008]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the golf bag head piece of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0009] A golf bag 10 includes a substantially cylindrical body 12 supported by an internal frame (not shown) which consists of stiff rods extending the length of the bag. Outer fabric 14 stretched across the rods establishes a substantially cylindrical shape for the bag 10. However, it is to be understood that the term “cylindrical” as used herein refers to any bag shape having substantially parallel side walls. Many bags of this type are oval, triangular, or rectangular in cross section. The bag 10 includes pockets 16 for balls, tees, gloves and the like, as well as a carrying strap 18.

[0010] At the top of the bag is a head portion 22 which is a hard plastic cylindrical section (refer to FIG. 3) that fits inside the bag's body. The top of this section has an outer annulus 24 which is covered with a soft fuzzy material that protects the clubs and prevents their shafts from scraping along the outer edge of the bag as they are inserted or removed.

[0011] The head portion 22 includes a club separator web 26 at the top opening of the bag which includes four separator vanes or ribs 28 a, 28 b, 28 c, and 28 d essentially creating four large quadrants or zones within the bag 10 for the insertion of clubs. The four separator vanes are connected to a smaller circular rib 30 so as to position it in the center of the opening.

[0012] The four separator vanes 28 a-28 d and center rib 30 may be created as a single molded piece and fastened with rivets or some other fastener to the inside of the head piece 22. Alternatively, the entire head piece 22 including the four separator vanes and center rib may be made from a single unitary mold. A fuzzy material pads the vanes to prevent scraping.

[0013] The four separator vanes and center annulus of the head piece permits the efficient storage and retrieval of clubs. Because bags are designed to lean at an angle on support frames, the “upper” part of the four quadrant opening is convenient for the storage of the longer clubs, the woods. Shorter higher lofted clubs such as the 8-iron, 9-iron and wedges may be placed in the “bottom” quadrant. Middle irons may go into the two side quadrants. The putter, which is frequently the shortest club, may be placed in the center annulus. This makes the putter, which is the most frequently used club in the bag, easy to find. The wall of the circular annulus prevents the putter from sliding down in the bag and becoming obscured by the longer clubs because the putter head is too big to slide through the circular rib 30. Arrayed in this way, particular clubs become easier to locate and replace in the bag.

[0014] The four quadrants created by the vanes may be substantially the same size, or if desired, may be of unequal size. One of the top or bottom quadrants could be made larger than the two side quadrants to allow for the fact that many golfers use a larger variety of woods such as 7-wood and 9-wood instead of middle irons such as 3-iron and 4-iron. Also many golfers use a variety of wedges and chipping clubs. This requires either that the top and bottom quadrant be larger since given the fourteen club limit, fewer mid-irons may be used. In FIG. 2, the bottom quadrant defined by vanes 28 c and 28 d is larger than the side quadrants, while the top quadrant defined by vanes 28 a and 28 b is the smallest of the four. This configuration is especially useful for the player who uses fewer woods and a large number of wedges. 

1. A golf club bag comprising an elongate substantially cylindrical container having an enclosed bottom and an open top and a golf club divider web situated adjacent the top of the container, the golf club divider web comprising a four quadrant divider with a central aperture.
 2. The golf club bag of claim 1 wherein said four quadrant divider includes a top quadrant, a pair of side quadrants and a bottom quadrant, one of the top and bottom quadrants defining an opening larger than either of the side quadrants.
 3. The golf club bag of claim 2 wherein each of the pair of side quadrants define openings substantially equal in size to each other.
 4. A golf bag comprising a substantially cylindrical body and having an open top and a closed bottom, the golf bag having a head portion comprising a web having four substantially radially extending separator vanes, each of the four separator vanes terminating at a centrally positioned circular rib defining an annular opening for the insertion of a golf club. 